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Monday, 27 February 2017

This is a CASE of a card shown on page 6 of the SU! 2017 Sale-A-Bration brochure. The card in the brochure uses the 'Carried Away' DSP but I wanted to CASE the design using different SU! papers. I chose the 'Serene Scenery' DSP stack as I haven't used it all that much. I really like that the card design features four squares of different papers and I'm hoping to make more cards using other patterned papers from my stash.

I made a 5 1/4" square card blank using Whisper White thick CS, cut my patterned paper pieces to 2 3/8" square and glued them in place. I attached two strips of Burlap Ribbon to the card front using double sided tape. I die cut three leafy sprays - one in Soft Suede, one in Old Olive and another in Early Espresso - and glued those in place. I stamped and die cut the sentiment label, popped that up and added three gold metallic enamel circle shapes.

I used some of the 'Serene Scenery' DSP papers to decorate the inside of the card and the envelope flap.

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

This set of four thanks cards was made using the 'Double Take' set, 'Cupcakes & Carousels' DSP stack and some Bermuda Bay Glimmer Paper - all newly acquired SU! goodies and all fabulous!

I used So Saffron CS for the A6 sized card bases, matted the patterned paper pieces onto panels of Early Espresso CS, stamped the sentiments onto Very Vanilla CS and cut them out with an oval 'Stitched Shapes' Framelits die. SU! are offering a few new Sale-A-Bration goodies and when I saw the mixed pack of 6" x 6" Glimmer Paper I just had to get some! Oh my word - Mint Macaron, Bermuda Bay and Sweet Sugarplum sparkly CS - what's NOT to love?! I die cut the leaf sprays with a die from the 'Flourish' Thinlits set using the Bermuda Bay Glimmer Paper, glued them in place and popped up the sentiment ovals. I punched So Saffron 'Bitty Butterflies', edged them with So Saffron ink, glued them to the leaf sprays and added rhinestone jewels to each butterfly.

Here's just one card on its own.

I used the gorgeous flourish stamp from the 'Flourishing Phrases' set to decorate the insides of the cards and the envelopes. So Saffron and Bermuda Bay make a fab colour combo - so cheery!

Saturday, 18 February 2017

Last Thursday Jan and Wendy came over for a crafty make and take, lunch and then we visited the Crafts U Love shop in the afternoon. A perfect way to spend a very happy day!

My co crafting friends are so kind and generous, I am very fortunate! My lovely friend Lesley let me borrow her SU! 'Sunburst' die and kindly said I could use it for Jan and Wendy's make and take cards. I wasn't sure about the 'Sunburst' die so didn't get it for myself. Of course, now that I've used it and seen lots of cards on Pinterest I'm a convert and will have to add the die to my collection! ** Note to Lesley ** Thank you so much for the loan of the die and for the fun 'Pinterest party' phone call! 😁

The SU! 'Lift Me Up' hot air balloons set would have worked beautifully on this card but I was itching to use some new goodies - the SU! 'Balloon Adventures' stamp set and the 'Balloon Bouquet' punch. I die cut the sunburst from a piece of Whisper White thick CS and applied So Saffron and Daffodil Delight inks over the die cut shape using sponges. I then added Crushed Curry ink around the edges using a sponge dauber and stamped the sentiment. I glued the sunburst shape to a piece of Pool Party CS, trimmed it to size and glued the panel to the front of a Basic Black A6 card base. I stamped the dotted balloon in Crushed Curry ink onto So Saffron CS, stamped the striped balloon in Bermuda Bay CS onto Pool Party CS, punched the balloons out and inked the edges of both balloons. I stamped two balloon strings on a Bermuda Bay circle and drew a black line on each balloon above the knot. I glued the Bermuda Bay circle to a larger Basic Black circle and popped up the black circle and both balloons. To finish the front I added a few Bermuda Bay sequins.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope. I used Daffodil Delight ink applied with a Blender Pen to colour in the letters - a fun touch for that great sentiment!

Thursday, 16 February 2017

I set my card group ladies some homework after our January meeting, I asked them to make a card using the sketch we'd used that month. I thought it was only fair that I joined in too!

The fabulous SU! Hexagons Dynamic embossing folder is a perfect partner to the lovely bee stamp in the 'Dragonfly Dreams' set and that's what I used for my card. I rotated the sketch and used the layout in landscape orientation. My colour combo is So Saffron, Smoky Slate, Basic Black and Whisper White. I used Crushed Curry ink and a blender pen to colour the bees and I added subtle shimmer to the wings using a clear Wink of Stella pen. I fussy cut the bees, popped them up and added a bee charm to the ribbon.

In this photo you can see I trimmed a bit off the card front at the top and right side to echo the sketch layout design.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope. I made this card with a specific friend in mind. It's not her birthday for many months but it's good to know the card is ready and waiting in my stash! If only I could be that prepared for all 2017 birthdays!

Tuesday, 14 February 2017

This is the Valentine card I made for my hubby Owen. Just as well I made it in good time 'cos I've been ill with a virus for the last few days so I've not been able to do anything, least of all spend time in my craft room.

My SU! order arrived and I was eager to try out the 'Double Take' stamp set so my card design started with the sentiment and I went on from there. The 'Double Take' stamps are clear but I have to confess I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig in order to get the sentiment stamps lined up where I wanted them. I'd rather take a few extra seconds and use the stamp positioner as when I wing it there's no guarantee I'll be happy with the end result - even with clear stamps. I also have the MISTI stamp positioner tool but in this case it was quicker and easier for me to use my SAMJ.

Another new item in my SU! order was a pack of 'Falling In Love' DSP so I chose a patterned paper from the pack, stamped the stitched heart, roughly cut it out, adhered it to a piece of Very Vanilla CS and then fussy cut the heart. I made an Early Espresso A6 sized card base and cut a mat layer of Real Red CS. I stamped a bubble wrap background stamp a few times on the Real Red panel using Real Red ink - the tone on tone look is perfect when you don't want a plain panel but you don't want a highly patterned panel either, a subtle compromise. I stamped a small heart a few times using Early Espresso ink and also stamped the 'YOU' direct to the Real Red panel. I glued the panel to the card front, popped up the heart and attached the 'LOVE' banner using glue at one end and Dimensionals at the the other end.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope. The sentiment and scroll element inside the card are stamps from a freebie set given away with a magazine. I just love how the SU! inks work brilliantly with these vinyl stamps! A little while ago I bought the SU! 'Hello Darling' retired set from eBay and I thought Owen's Valentine card would be the perfect opportunity to use that sentiment from the set! I used Real Red and Early Espresso markers to ink up the stamp and so was able to omit the flowery portion of the sentiment. I used two oval dies from the SU! 'Stitched Shape' Framelits die set for the sentiments and I popped up both ovals.

Friday, 3 February 2017

Yesterday we got together for our February card group meeting and a very happy afternoon was had by all! Last month we used a sketch for all three cards and at the end of the meeting I set a homework assignment! I asked the ladies to make a card using the sketch and I'm very pleased that most of the ladies took on the challenge and made a card. It was amazing how different each card was! Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of the cards, d'oh!

The first card features the new SU! 'Detailed Dragonfly' Thinlits dies which are gorgeous. I've used these recently acquired new SU! products with some oldie but goodie retired SU! products - I love mixing new and old items! There are some SU! products that retire that I just have to keep in my stash, I can't bear to let them go - the 'Top Note' die and the 'I Love Lace' background stamp for instance.

I die cut a Whisper White 'Top Note' shape, stamped the lace background onto it using Crumb Cake ink and stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink. I die cut an Early Espresso 'Top Note' shape, cut off the two sides, glued them behind the white shape and adhered the whole thing to the front of a Coastal Cabana A6 sized card base. I die cut a Coastal Cabana solid butterfly, spritzed it with Champagne Mist spray and layered the Early Espresso detailed dragonfly shape over the top. The Champagne Mist gives a lovely subtle shimmer to the wings. I glued the dragonfly body flat to the card but placed half a Dimensional with the backing paper left on under each wing so that the wings remain popped up.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope. I stamped lace background strips and added drawn lines using an Early Espresso marker.

For the second card I used the SU! 'Moroccan Nights' set which I've had for a few months but not had time to ink up. I used the 'Moroccan' patterned paper as a guide to what colours to use for the card. I stamped the medallion image twice onto a panel of Cajun Craze CS using Cajun Craze ink for a lovely tone on tone look. I added a strip of patterned paper and glued the panel to the front of a Very Vanilla A6 sized card base. I stamped the sentiment and two images onto a square piece of Very Vanilla CS. I die cut the piece using a square 'Stitched Shape' Framelits die and I popped up the Very Vanilla square.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope stamped with the lovely medallion images. I don't usually use Very Vanilla CS as a card base as it's a tad flimsy in my view. The Cajun Craze panel on the card front strengthens the card and I also adhered a Very Vanilla panel on the inside so the whole card is sturdier.

For card number three I used orange which I very rarely do but I think it's good to step outside your comfort zone every now and then! I paired Pumpkin Pie with Tempting Turquoise along with black and white and kept to a simple layout. I embossed the fishtail flag shape with the Cuttlebug 'Leafy Branch' embossing folder, glued that to the front of a white A6 sized card base and stamped the sentiment. I stamped the bird on a branch image (from the Taylored Expressions 'Embrace Beauty' set), cut it out with a circle Nestie die, layered it onto a larger die cut black circle and popped that up. I punched a few flowers and used a fine black pen to add stamens to the flower centres. I shaped the flowers a wee bit and glued them in place. I used the pen to give the bird an eye and I rounded the top right corner of the card to finish off the front.

Here's the inside and the envelope. I stamped a leafy silhouette image twice in black ink and stamped the sentiment in Pumpkin Pie ink. The sentiment comes from a clear stamp set given away as a craft magazine freebie. The freebie stamps are usually made of vinyl, not photopolymer, and it can be hard to get a decent stamped impression as the ink tends to bead up on vinyl stamps. I've discovered that the SU! inks work really well with vinyl stamps though which is a real boon! I used a smaller circle image from the 'Embrace Beauty' set to decorate the envelope flap.

One of the ladies, Jan, used the SU! 'Lift Me Up' stamps and dies to make her homework card. Everyone was really taken with her lovely hot air balloon card so I said I'll include a hot air balloon card next time!

About Me

Hello, I'm Ruth Muzeen and I live with my hubby Owen and our cat Tingha in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
Thanks for visiting to look at my creations, please click on a card photo in any blog post to get a larger view. I have categorised albums of my cards available to view on Google Photos. Just click on the category name to go to the relevant album. Please do leave any comments you have, it will be so nice to hear from you! For more info, please see the About Me - Extended tab up at the top.